natural and cultural heritaGe tourism for increased Baltic sea reGion identitY

treasures of the Baltic sea

castles and museums
A thrilling, rewarding and common history

stones and rocKs forest red BricK Gothic shiftinG sand dunes castles and museums

Treasures of the Baltic Sea

castles and museums
A thrilling, rewarding and common history

editorial

Malbork Castle. The High Castle St Marys Church and Main Tower

Dear readers,
what comes into your mind when you think of the Baltic Sea Region: endless beaches, sand dunes, birch forests, castles and churches or even amber? Countries around the Baltic Sea share a great variety of natural and cultural resources as well as a long common history. The area, however, is still not well recognised as one common region outside its borders. In the framework of the EU-funded project AGORA 2.0 we aim to improve the common identity of the Baltic Sea Region, based on its rich natural and cultural treasures. The five issues of the Treasures of the Baltic Sea are our appetisers for you to raise your awareness of the unique beauty of the Baltic Sea Region by telling exciting stories and providing short background information at a glance that make you feel like visiting the region. This issue will bring the fascinating world of castles and museums in the Baltic Sea Region closer to you.

Csis Castle seen from the first outer bailey.

Dipl. oec. Betina Meliss

Editor University of Greifswald Institute of Geography and Geology Makarenkostrae 22 17487 Greifswald Tel. +49 3834 / 864 541 agora@uni-greifswald.de
Photos: G.Kalni

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Editorial Content Castles around the Baltic Sea Cooperation around the Baltic Sea Map Denmark Koldinghus Castle Kronborg Castle Nyborg Castle Rosenborg Castle Snderborg Castle Snderskov Castle Vordingborg Castle Estonia Haapsalu Episcopal Castle Narva Castle Vastseliina Episcopal Castle Finland Hme Castle Kastelholm Castle Lappeenranta Fortress Olavinlinna Castle Raseborg Castle Suomenlinna Sea Fortress Svartholm Sea Fortress Turku Castle Germany Eutin Castle Gottorf Castle Schwerin Castle Gstrow Castle Lneburg Castle Granitz Hunting Castle

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Latvia Bauska Castle Cesis Castle Rundale Palace Turaida Castle Ventspils Castle Lithuania Birzai Castle Gediminas Castle Tower Palace of the Grand Dukes Trakai Island and Peninsular Castles Poland Malborg Castle The Pomeranian Dukes Castle Russia Kaliningrad Military-historical museum Old Ladoga Oreshek Fortress Peter and Paul Fortress Suvorov memorial museum Vyborg Castle Sweden Gripsholm Castle Kalmar Castle Malm Castle Nykping Castle Royal Palace of Stockholm Skokloster Castle Touristic Information Imprint

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castles around the Baltic sea

by Bengt Kylsberg, curator, Skokloster Castle, Sweden and Anne Parikka, President of The Association of Castles and Museums around the Baltic Sea

Hme Castle

People have always had the need to protect themselves, their property and valuable belongings like animals or housewares; during war time or when the situation was unstable. The earliest types of protection we know in the Baltic Sea region, which are still visible, are round walls made of stones with a small and narrow entrance. These early fortifications are called Iron Age ring fort and can be dated back as early as 300-400 AD. They were probably in use for several hundred years. The size of them varies from seventy-five to some hundred meters in diameter. The original height of the walls could reach several meters. These very early fortifications were usually placed on a strategically important hilltop to ensure maximum protection as well as a good view point over the surrounding landscape to be able to spot the enemy as early as possible. These ring forts were normally unoccupied or not used in peacetime but served as a shelter when a village was threatened by local or foreign enemies. In some cases you will find archeological remains of houses in them because the stay in these Iron Age ring forts could be considerably long.

In Finland and Sweden these types of ring forts can be seen quite frequently in the landscape if you know where to look. There is also another type of very early fortifications, but they are rather a protection for larger areas of land, for example the famous Danavirket in south Jutland from around 750 AD. This combination of earthen and wooden ramparts connected by ditches was built to protect the Danes from tribes from the south of Jutland. Oftentimes, these earthen walls were reinforced by upright wooden poles and a palisade to make it higher, protecting defenders from enemies arrows and spears. In Northern Europe, the first stone castles were probably built in the 12th century. These castles were mostly multi-storey

buildings made of local stone, sometimes protected by an earth wall or a wooden palisade. One of the best examples for the abovementioned functions in Europe is the spreading of the Teutonic order, also known as Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, in the south-east of the Baltic Sea Region in the 13th century. It was originally founded in the late 12th century in Acre to protect and take care of the sick and wounded - mostly German - crusaders to the Holy Land. In the beginning of the 13th century the German Order, as it is also called, was invited to the duchy of Masovia, north-east Poland. From there they spread out over what is today Poland, Kaliningrad, Lithua-

A CASTLE COULD HAVE THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES:

defence - protection and retreat o ence - opportunity for further advance and conquest control - regional administration and control residence - home and housing for lords and their lackeys

Photo: Museovirasto

Hme Castle

nia, Latvia and Estonia. Even the Swedish island Gotland was once held by the Order for several years. The architecture of the castles was standardized to a great extent to enable the Order to advance quickly and to establish new strongholds. The castles were often constructed on a square plan with a central courtyard. The walls were normally very tall and adorned with turrets on the corners. Only one central gate with a draw bridge existed. The building material was usually redbrick, which was easy to obtain in the vicinity. Good clay was available in the area and from riverbanks. Redbrick was a fairly new invention and provided the opportunity to articulate the architecture in a way that had not been seen

before. And as long as gunpowder and artillery were not known, walls built of brick were a sufficient protection. The outer walls could be very thick and were mostly built out of two parallel walls with mortar and pieces of scrub in between. A rare example of a brick castle in a place where one would not expect it to be, is Hme Castle in southern Finland. It was originally built at the end of the 13th century as a stronghold of the Swedish state and the Catholic Church against the Russian Novgorods and the Orthodox church. Some other Finnish castles also served the same purpose as border fortifications and seats of local governments, for example Turku Castle, Hme Castle, Vyborg Castle and a little later Olavinlinna Castle.

THE SECONDARY FUNCTIONS OF A CASTLE COULD BE DESCRIBED AS:

status symbol - reflect the prestige and power of the owner skills centre - need for craftsmen, artisans and specialists economy - market and fairs population - meeting place and growth centres

These were ordered and built by the Swedish state. In Denmark, however, the situation was a bit dierent. The Danish kings built castles in important and strategically located places, but also the rich and powerful noble families started to build castles as strongholds, seats of administration or comfortable living quarters from the 15th century on. The best existing example from this period is Glimmingehus, built in 1499 and considered to be the most beautiful medieval castle in Northern Europe. It was built of local sandstone and quartzite, which is a very hard material and is normally used as road surface today. When Glimmingehus was built in Skne, part of todays Sweden, it belonged to Denmark. Nowadays in this landscape there is still a large number of interesting and beautiful brick castles built in Renaissance style that followed the more compact and fortified castles like the ones mentioned before. New ideas of housing, better comfort and new aspects of representation as well as more stable political situations in several of the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea led to great improvements in the castles.

Photo: Museovirasto

Trakai Island and Peninsular Castles

Gripsholm Trakai Island Castle and Peninsular Castles

Kalmar Castle

Picture galleries and for the first time chairs, tables, and other movable furniture became common amongst the rich. Strictly planned gardens were also a novelty in the 16th century. Even though the turmoil of the Middle Ages was over war was never far away. Gunpowder, artillery and muskets were commonly used and walls made of brick or small stones were not efficient anymore. The defence of a castle moved from the castle itself to outer fortifications. First developed in Italy, bastions, ramparts, ravelins and parapets are just a few of the terms in a new science of fortifications that was used to describe a fortification of a whole town or a castle from the 16th century on. The fortifications around Kalmar Castle in Sweden, Birzai Castle in Lithuania and Kronborg Castle in Denmark are good examples of the new fortification systems. Dutch architectural ideas and experience became very important for the whole Baltic Sea region. The Netherlands were the very first to be recognized as a sovereign state in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 after their long liberation war against Spain that had lasted 80 years. Henceforth, Sweden dominated much of the Baltic Sea region for the next 150 years and, of course, many of the castles as well

as fortifications were built according to Swedish needs and ideas. Both Riga and Narva are very good examples for this. Although the bastions were pulled down in Riga, it is still possible to see the layout and in Narva they still exist, nearly intact after 300 years. In the castles situated inland, far away from the battlefiels, a new architecture saw the light of day. Skokloster Castle in Sweden is a very good example of the new victorious aristocracy. The princes, field marshals, admirals, the winner of wars, not only in Sweden, but all over Europe created new fantastic buildings and gardens. Their new-built palaces or rebuilt and enlarged castles were more a symbol of power and prestige then a comfortable house to live in. Normally, these new Baroque aristocrats did not settle with just one castle, but needed several ones. One town palace, preferably in the capital, one country resort palace in a nearby distance, one stammsitz or castle where the family originated from and a hunting lodge which could be placed in the far distance from the main castle. The Castles/Palaces were still often built of local stone but it was now also possible to import for example marble from Italy, oak from the Baltic countries for the interior decoration, leather tapestry from

Holland, woven tapestry from France and furniture from all over Europe. Paintings and portraits flourished and were bought at art fairs in the Netherlands or in other countries. The owners of the castles and their sons went on study trips to Italy and returned home with new ideas. Through books and graphic works the new ideas were easily adopted and Rundale Palace in Latvia is a splendid example of what the new fashion looked like. A castle or palace is in a way a quintessence of history at a given moment. They are often the only tangible objects from a period, a dream of their creator, a place for an important meeting or decision. The builder or owners of dierent castles have often kept records that have been secured inside the walls of a castle. This is even the case where wars devastated whole landscapes or countries. One can still be surprised how much information can be found in the archives about the dierent castles in the Baltic Sea region as well as how many artefacts from dierent periods still exist. The castles in the nine countries surrounding the Baltic Sea will certainly enlighten everyone interested in history or curios about the past and make them realize that we all share a common history.

Photos: 1,2 - Viktoras Neliubinas, 3 - Kalmar slott

cooPeration around the Baltic sea

The south faade of Eutin Castle.

The Association of Castles and Museums around the Baltic Sea was the first network connecting some of the most important monuments and sites in the Baltic Sea Region. It was founded in Malbork Castle, Poland in 1991. The idea was to provide a forum where people working with their nations history and cultural heritage could meet, create networks and exchange knowledge and ideas. The Association is a non-political and non-profitable association which aims to promote the identity of the Baltic Sea Region and make its cultural heritage known worldwide. The countries are closely linked by their common history in spite of their sometimes difficult past. Research, restoration, education, marketing, management and tourism are the six pillars of The Association. At the moment, The Association has 44 member castles in all nine countries around the Baltic Sea. To be a member of The Association, castles must be open to the public and they have to be owned by the state, town, local community

or a foundation. In June 2012, the Association of Friends of the Association of Castles and Museums around the Baltic Sea was founded in Sonderskov Manor in Denmark. By joining The Friends of The Association private persons, universities, foundations and other public organizations can join the work of The Association and help to create new networks and cooperation around the Baltic Sea. You can learn more about The Association of Castles and Museums around the Baltic Sea and about the member castles by visiting the website, www.visitcastles.eu.

contact
President of The Association Anne Parikka Tel. + 358 44 3434 980 castles.balticsea@gmail.com Secretary of The Association Bengt Kylsberg Tel. +46 8402 3047 bengt.kylsberg@lsh.se

www.visitcastles.eu

Photo: Stiftung Schlo Eutin

DENMARK 1 Koldinghus Castle 2 Kronborg Castle 3 Nyborg Castle 4 Rosenborg Castle 5 Snderborg Castle 6 Snderskov Manor 7 Vordingborg Castle ESTONIA 8 Haapsalu Episcopal Castle 9 Narva Castle 10 Vastseliina Episcopal Castle FINLAND 11 Hme Castle 12 Kastelholm Castle 13 Lappeenranta Fortress 14 Olavinlinna Castle 15 Raseborg Castle 16 Suomenlinna Sea Fortress 17 Svartholm Sea Fortress 18 Turku Castle GERMANY 19 Eutin Castle 20 Gottorf Castle 21 Schwerin Castle 22 Gstrow Castle 23 Ludwigslust Castle 24 Granitz Hunting Castle LATVIA 21 Bauska Castle 22 Cesis Castle 23 Rundale Palace 24 Turaida Castle 25 Ventspils Castle LITHUANIA 26 Birzai Castle 27 Gediminas Castle Tower 28 Palace of the Grand Dukes 29 Trakai Island and Peninsular Castles POLAND 30 Malborg Castle 31 The Pomeranian Dukes Castle RUSSIA 32 Kaliningrad 33 Military-historical museum 34 Old Ladoga 35 Oreshekatress 36 Peter and Paul Fortress 37 Suvorov memorial museum 38 Vyborg Castle SWEDEN 39 Gripsholm Castle 40 Kalmar Castle 41 Malm Castle 42 Nykping Castle 43 Royal Palace of Stockholm 44 Skokloster Castle

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KoldinGhus castle

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Photos: Friis

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Koldinghus is dominated by the Giants Tower built just before 1600.

Koldinghus was built in 1268 by King Erik V at the border between the Kingdom of Denmark and the Duchy of Schleswig as a strong fortification protected by moats and ramparts. The oldest surviving building is the north wing, built by King Christopher III in the 1440s. Around 1500 King Hans added a palatium and a curtain wall connecting the two wings. In the middle of the 16th century King Christian III added the south and east wings and transformed the medieval fortress into a contemporary royal residence without defenses, and just before 1600 King Christian IV added the huge Giants Tower and a magnificent renaissance chapel. From 1715 to 1723 King Frederik IV transformed the castle into a Baroque palace, but in 1808 it was destroyed by a fire, caused by Spanish members of the auxiliary corps led by the French Marshall

Bernadotte. The restoration began in 1890 and after 100 years, the latest phase designed by the architects Inger and Johannes Exner, Koldinghus presents a unique and very attractive mixture of ancient walls and contemporary architecture.

contact
Koldinghus Castle
Museet p Koldinghus Markdanersgade 11 DK-6000 Kolding Denmark Tel. +45 7633 8100 museum@koldinghus.dk www.koldinghus.dk

King Erik V 1259 1286 King Christopher III 1440 1448 King Hans 14811513 King Christian III 15361559 King Christian IV 15881648 King Frederik IV 1699 1730 King Christian VII 1766 1808 The Napoleonic War 18081814 Museum since 1892
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The most striking feature of the Exner restoration of the 1980s is the south wing, where laminated wooden pillars support the roof and the storey separations.

*2 The original architecture of the once so magnificent renaissance chapel is supplemented by specially designed lamps and chandeliers.

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KronBorG castle

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Interactive introduction exhibition

Kronborg Castle by the edge of resund

Kronborg, originally called Krogen (The Hook or The Corner), is situated by the Sound in Elsinore. It was built by King Erik of Pomerania, who introduced Sound Dues from passing ships in 1420 and controlled all maritime traffic in and out of the Baltic Sea. The Sound Dues were collected until 1857. In the late 16th century King Frederik II modernised the fortifications with bastions in the Dutch manner, and the medieval castle was rebuilt as a magnificent four-winged Renaissance residence, entirely built of sandstone and decorated with such lavish sculptures and carvings that it could compete with any royal castle in Europe. In 1577 the King named the castle Kronborg. Kronborg has played a significant role in the region for many

centuries. It has survived fire, floods, bombardment, ransacking and being downgraded from a Royal residence to military barracks. It lost much of its internal splendour, but Kronborg continued to be developed as a fort, and it was not until 1991, when the last soldier departed, that Kronborg lost its last military function.

contact
Kronborg Castle
Kronborg 2C DK-3000 Elsinore Denmark Tel. +45 4921 3078 kronborg@ses.dk www.kronborg.dk

Erik of Pomerania, King of the Kalmar Union 13971439 King Frederik II 1559-1588 Both sides of the Sound Danish until 1658 Eastern side of the Sound Swedish since 1658

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With resund as the background, and the castle as the stage, Kronborg hosts open-air operas performed by the Royal Danish Theatre

Photos: Knonborg Castle Museum

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nYBorG castle

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The Great Hall from the 16th century

Photos: Nyborg Castle Museum

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West wing and palace building

Nyborg Castle was first mentioned in 1193. At the beginning of the 13th century a curtain wall was built, and a palatium from the middle of the century forms the core of the still existing palace. Centrally placed at the Great Belt Nyborg was one of Denmarks most important castles, and the Danehof gathered here. A gate-house with a small courtyard is probably from the 14th century. About 1400 Queen Margrete I enlarged the castle, and in the first half of the 16th century it was renovated and expanded. Painted wall-decorations from the time of Frederik I can still be seen on the second floor of the Palatium, and at the time of King Christian III the defences were modernized. In 1659 the Swedes left Nyborg castle in a damaged and plundered state

and in 1722 the King ordered the remaining buildings to be torn down with the exception of the palatium and the east tower, which was used as arsenal and powder magazine for the garrison in Nyborg. In 1913, the restoration of the remaining parts of the castle began, and it was turned into a museum, now part of stfyns Museer.

contact
Nyborg Castle
Nyborg Slot Slotsgade 34 DK-5800 Nyborg Denmark Tel. +45 6531 0207 museum@nyborg.dk www.nyborgslot.dk

Meeting place for the Danehof (House of Lords) mid13th century1413 Queen Margrete I 13751412 King Frederik I 15231533 King Christian III 15361559 The Swedish Wars 16571660 King Frederik IV 16991730
*2 The first Great Hall where the Court of Danes met. The present shape and decoration of the room is the result of later rebuilding.

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rosenBorG castle

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The castle with its signature towers and sandstone ornaments.

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Rosenborg Castle in the Kings Garden in the center of Copenhagen.

The history of the castle goes back to 1606 1607, when Christian IV had a summerhouse built in a newly laid out park just outside Copenhagen. In 1613 1615 the summerhouse was extended, and it was habitable from 1615, even when construction continued the following year. The building was concluded in 1624 and in the same year Christian IV referred to his Great House in the Garden as Rosenborg (castle of the rose) for the first time. Rosenborg was used as a royal residence until around 1710, when Frederik IV stopped using it in favour of other, more up-to-date, summer residences. Rosenborg Castle became the setting for the Royal Collections instead.

The castle with its many well-preserved original interiors was opened to the public in 1838. Among the rich collections are riding trappings and parade arms, costumes, heirlooms and precious artifacts, a unique collection of glass and porcelain as well as the art collections of the dukes of Holstein, captured from Gottorp Castle. The cellar houses the Treasury, with the Royal Regalia and the Crown Jewels of the Queen of Denmark.

contact
Rosenborg Castle
Rosenborg Slot Oster Voldgade 4A DK-1350 Kobenhavn K Denmark Tel. +45 3315 3286 museum@dkks.dk www.rosenborgslot.dk

King Christian IV 15881648 King Frederik IV 16991730

*2 The Great Hall with the coronation throne of the absolutist monarchs of Denmark, flanked by three lions of silver.

Photos: Rosenborg Castle

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sonderBorG castle

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Photos: Museum Snderjylland, Grnlund Foto

The princely Renaissance church was built between 1568 and 1570.

Snderborg Castle situated by the Als Sound in the westernmost Baltic Sea.

Snderborg Castle was built around 1170 on the island of Als and during the 14th and 15th century it became a heavily fortified citadel owned alternately by the Danish kings and the dukes of South Jutland. From 1532 to 1549 the castle served as a prison for the deposed King Christian II. From 1549 on it was renovated by King Christian III and Queen Dorothea and their chapel is the best preserved Lutheran chapel from the time of the Reformation in Europe. An extensive rebuilding in Baroque style was carried out from 1718 to 1726 and in the middle of the century the bastions were almost completely removed. During the Napoleonic War and the Danish-German Wars the castle served as a military

hospital and from 1864 to 1919 it was a Prussian barracks. After a referendum in 1920 the northern part of South Jutland and consequently Snderborg Castle became Danish. In 1908 the castle was converted into a museum with emphasis on the more recent history of South Jutland. A major restoration from 1964 to 1973 removed most of the traces from the time of the Prussian infantry.

contact
Snderborg Castle
Museum Snderjylland Snderborg Slot Snderbro 1 DK-6400 Snderborg, Denmark Tel. +45 7442 2539 secretariat@museum-sonderjylland.dk www.museum-sonderjylland.dk

King Christian II 15131523 King Christian III 15361559 Duke Hans the Younger 15711622 The Napoleonic War 18081814 Danish-German Wars 18481850, 1864 The Kingdom of Prussia 18641919 Danish since 1920

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sondersKoV manor

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Decorated wooden ceiling from the second half of the 17th century.

Snderskov Manor is mentioned for the first time in 1448. After 1536 the owner built a new main wing with two diagonally placed defensive towers because the nobility feared new peasants revolts like those they had experienced during the Counts Feud. Around 1614, Snderskov was destroyed by fire, but the owner Thomas Juel rebuilt it and the new manor was finished in 1620. He was a wealthy man who owned three manor houses and he served King Christian IV in various functions. Part of his prosperity was due to the fattening of oxen for export. In 1720 Hans Bachmann became the first non-noble landowner at Snderskov.

He and his successor Samuel Nicolaus Claudius transformed Snderskov into the Baroque manor house which can still be seen today. During a thorough restoration in the years 1986-1992 several unique wall-paintings and a decorated wooden ceiling from the second half of the 17th century were discovered. Today Snderskov is housing the regional museum and the Baroque garden and parts of the kitchen and herb gardens have been recreated.

contact
Snderskov Manor
Museet p Snderskov Snderskovgardvej 2 DK-6650 Brorup Denmark Tel. +45 7538 3866 post@sonderskov.dk www.sonderskov.dk

The Counts Feud 15341536 King Christian IV 15881648 Museum since 1989

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During the restoration several unique wall paintings were discovered. Among them were these foot soldiers from the early 17th century.

Photo: Brian Poulsen.

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VordinGBorG castle

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The Goose Tower of Vordingborg Castle

Photos: The Vordingborg Museums

Vordingborg Castle seen from the south

View of Vordingborg Castle

The castle was built in 1160 on a steep coastal slope by King Valdemar I as a base camp for the crusades against the Slavic tribes at the south coast of the Baltic Sea, culminating in 1168 with the destruction of the temple-site of Arkona on the island of Rgen. King Valdemar II renewed the castle and King Valdemar IV made Vordingborg a castle of international ranking, meant to impress members of the Hanseatic League and other foreign delegates that were summoned to Vordingborg to negotiate the supremacy over the lucrative trade on the Baltic Sea. But soon the decline began and after 1660 the castle was demolished. Only one of its nine towers, the Goose Tower, was spared because it served as the towns prison. It was named after

a golden goose on the top, mocking the Hanseatic League, and it is the only standing medieval defence tower in Denmark. Apart from this, all that is left are remnants of the almost 800 m long curtain wall and the 12 semicircular towers protruding from the wall between the remains of four solid towers.

contact
Vordingborg Castle
Museerne i Vordingborg Danmarks Borgcenter Slotsruinen DK-4760 Vordingborg Denmark Tel. +45 5537 2554 museerne@museerne.dk www.museerne.dk

King Valdemar I the Great 11571182 King Valdemar II the Victorious 12021241 King Valdemar IV Atterdag 13401375

estonia

haaPsalu ePiscoPal castle

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East side of the convent building.

View of Haapsalu Episcopal Castle and the town.

The Episcopal Castle of Haapsalu used to be the centre of the ecclesiastical state the Saare-Lne (Oesel-Wiek) bishopric in medieval Estonia from the 13th to the 16th century. The castle compound took its final shape in the 16th century. The total length of the circular wall reached 803 m, the height of the walls 812m and their thickness 0.61.8m. It had 7 towers and 4 gates. The Episcopal castle covers an area of 3 hectares. The convent building with the Dome Church is the oldest part of the Episcopal castle. The Dome Church was the bishoprics principal church or cathedral. The building is one of the largest singleaisle churches in Nordic countries. On the Baptisterys circular window built into the southern wall of the Dome

Church, a female figure, who was named the White Lady, appears during full moon nights in August. During the Soviet occupation the church was closed, but in 1990 it was reconsecrated as the Dome of St. Nicholas. A museum on the site tells the history of the bishopric and the castle.

contact
Haapsalu Episcopal Castle
Sihtasutus Haapsalu Piiskopilinnus Posti 34, Haapsalu EE-90504 Estonia Tel. +372 472 53 46 info@haapsalulinnus.ee www.haapsalulinnus.ee

The Livonian Order 12371558 The Livonian War 15581583 Sweden 15611704 The Russian Empire 17041918 Estonian Independence 19181940 Soviet occupation 19401941 German occupation 19411944 The Soviet Union 19441991 The Republic of Estonian since 1991

Photos: 1 - Foundation of Haapsalu Piiskopilinnus, 2 - Photo: Tnis Padu, 3 - Photo: Eero Rikkinen

estonia

narVa castle

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Photos: Narva Castle Museum

Narva Castle during spring high water

Narva Castle with Ivangorod Fortress in the background

In the second half of the 13th century the Danes built a fortified stronghold on the western bank of the river running through the town of Narva. In 1346 King Valdemar IV sold the Danish part of Estonia, including Narva, to the Livonian Order and by the 16th century Narva castle was transformed into a convent with strong defences. In 1581, Narva was captured by the Swedes and during the late 17th century they fortified the town with a modern bastion defence system. After it was incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1704 Narva was no longer used as a border fortress and in 1863 the bastions were abandoned. In 1944 severe fighting between the Russians and the Germans left the town in ruins. Of the castle only the walls of the north-western round tower in the western

courtyard and the Stone Hall remained. Since the 1960s restoration work has been carried out. In 1986 the completed first stage of the restoration was handed over to the town to be used as a museum. Today Narva Museum is well-known for its exhibitions and its colourful historic events. Danish Estonia 12191346 Livonian Period 13461558 Livonian War 15581583 Muscovite Russia 15581581 Kingdom of Sweden 15811704 Russian Empire 17041918 Independent Estonia 19181940 Soviet Occupation 19401941 German Occupation 19411944 Soviet Union 19441991 Republic of Estonia since 1991

contact

Narva Castle
Narva Muuseum Peterburi mnt 2, Narva EE-20308 Estonia Tel. +372 359 9230 info@narvamuuseum.ee www.narvamuuseum.ee

Vastseliina ePiscoPal castle

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Episcopal Castle

Episcopal Castle at night

Vastseliina Castle (Nienhuse or Novum Castrum) was founded in 1342 by the knights of the Livonian Order near the frontier of Old Livonia and Pskov (Russia) and the road between Riga and Pskov. It was also a part of the defence line Kirump-Gaujiena- Gulbene- RezekneDaugavpils and was one of the strongest castles in Livonia. After a miracle reported to have taken place in the castles chapel in 1353 it was visited by pilgrims from all over Europe. The keep is the oldest part of the castle but only a minor section of it survived. More is left of a Gothic style cannon tower. The partly preserved northern and southeastern towers and the southern wall are from the 16th century. At the beginning of the Livonian War the garrison surrendered to the Russians but was taken over by the Poles after a peace

treaty in 1582. Vastseliina became Swedish in 1625 but during the Great Northern War it was destroyed by the Russians. Today the ruins have been partly restored and Vastseliina is a well-known tourist attraction. The Livonian Order 13421558 The Livonian war 15581583 Muscovite Russia 15581582 The Polish-Lithuanian Kingdom 15821625 The Swedish Kingdom 16251702 The Great Northern War 17001721 The Russian Empire 17021918 Independent Estonia 19181940 Soviet occupation 19401941 German occupation 19411944 The Soviet Union 19441991 The Republic of Estonia since 1991

contact

Vastseliina Episcopal Castle

Vastseliina Piiskopilinnus Voidu 14 Vastseliina, Vorumaa EE-65201 Estonia Tel. +372 509 6301 linnus@vastseliina.ee www.vastseliina.ee/linnus

Photo: 1,3 - Foundation of Vastseliina Episcopal Castle, 2 - Andres Ots

finland

hme castle

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Photos: Museovirasto

Hme Castle was a prison from 1837-1972. Next to the castle there are former prison buildings housing several museums nowadays.

Hme Castle (Tavastehus) was built in the late 13th century on a small island in Lake Vanajavesi as one of three Swedish strongholds in Finland, the others being the castles of Turku and Vyborg. It is supposed that during the 14th and 15th century the timber stronghold was replaced by a castle of grey-stone and brick. Besides being a defence against the Novgorodians, Hme Castle was also a residence and an administrative centre. In the 1730s the castle was surrounded by a heptagonal system of bastions, which were strengthened in the 1770s. From 1837 until 1972 Hme Castle was a prison. The restoration of the castle and its surroundings began in the mid 1950s and was finished in 1988. When parts of the building from the prison period had been removed it was obvious that conflicting alterations made it impossible to achieve a complete historical restoration. Instead, it was decided

to let some of the second floor rooms remain in ruins. Queens Chamber and Kings Hall have been reconstructed to their original form of the late 15th century. Hme Castle is still full of life. The castle is open to the public all year round. Guided tours, events and exhibitions are organized in the castle.

contact
Hme Castle
Hmeen linna Kustaa III:n katu 6 FI-13100 Hmeenlinna Finland Tel. + 358 3 675 6820 hlinna@nba.fi www.nba.fi

Part of Sweden 12th1809 Hme Castle is mentioned in written sources for the rst time in 1308 Town of Hmeenlinna was founded in 1639 The Autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, part of Russia, 18091917 The Republic of Finland since 1917

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The decorative brick work that characterizes the first floor on the northeast side of the courtyard is partly original.

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Kastelholm castle

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Kastelholm Castle, built on an islet with a well protected harbour, was first mentioned in 1388. In the inner castle there is a strong keep and in the outer bailey a well preserved three-storey house in the northern wing. This house from the late 15th century contains store rooms, a residence and a shooting loft in the garret. In the late 15th century the castle was adapted to modern warfare with firearms, but like other medieval castles it soon lost its military significance. The dethroned Swedish King Erik XIV was imprisoned here in 1571. When the administration of the land Isles was relocated to Turku in 1634, Kastelholm Castle was left to fall into decay and in 1745 a fire reduced the inner castle

to a ruin. From the middle of the 18th century until the 1930s parts of the castle were used as a granary. Restoration work has been carried out since the 1890s and there has been a historical museum in the castle since the 1930s.

contact
Kastelholm Castle
Kastelholms Slott Kungsgardsalln 5 FI-22520 Kastelholm, Aland Finland Tel. +358 18 432 150, + 358 18 432134 info.museum@regeringen.ax www.museum.ax

Part of Sweden 12th1809 Independent administrative centre of the land Islands 15th1634 The Kalmar Union (Denmark, Sweden and Norway) 13971523 The Autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, part of Russia 18091917 The Republic of Finland since 1917 The Autonomy of land since 1995

Photos: Rita Jokiranta

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laPPeenranta fortress

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Photos: South Karelia Museum / Seppo Pelkonen; 3 - Hannu Vallas

Barracks from the 1790s.

South Karelia Museum is housed in two warehouses from the early 19th century.

The fortress area in the 1990s.

The Fortress of Lappeenranta is a fine Northern example of a European fortified town from the 18th century. It was built after the Great Northern War in order to secure the eastern border of Finland after Sweden had lost territories and the border fortresses in south-eastern Finland to Russia. Surrounded on three sides by a lake, the town was easy to defend. Nevertheless, Russian troops captured it in 1741 and from 1743 to 1809 Lappeenranta was a Russian border town. Supervised by the famous generalissimo Alexander Suvorov, the fortress was strengthened from the 1770s as an important part of the outer defense of the Russian capital St. Petersburg.

When Finland was annexed by Russia in 1809, the fortress lost its strategic importance, even though there was still a Russian garrison. From 1819 to the 1940s some of the barracks were used as a prison. Lapeenranta fortress was restored between 1976 and 2006 and today many of the historic buildings are used for museum purposes.

contact
Lappeenranta Fortress
Lappeenrannan kaupungin museot Kristiinankatu 15 Fortress, FI-53101 Lappeenranta Finland Tel. + 358 5 616 22 61 + 358 5 616 22 55 www.lappeenranta.fi

Part of Sweden 12th century1743 The Great Northern War 17001721 Russian border fortress 17431809 The Autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, part of Russia, 18091917 The Republic of Finland since 1917

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finland

olaVinlinna castle

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The topography of the island influenced the shape of Olavinlinna castle.

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The castle was a water fortress, protected on all sides by the swift stream of Lake Saimaa.

Olavinlinna Castle was founded in 1475 by the Swedish nobleman Erik Axelsson Tott. Situated on a small island in Lake Saimaa it was one of the most modern fortresses of its time consisting of a citadel, a bailey and five round cannon towers. During the Great Nordic War (1700 - 1721) Russia conquered parts of southern Finland and in the Russo-Swedish War (1741 1743) Sweden tried to win back lost territories. Olavinlinna was captured by the Russians in 1742 and when peace was settled it became one in a line of Russian border fortresses and an army base, modernized under the surveillance of the famous Russian Generalissimo Alexander Suvorov. After the Finnish War of 1808 1809 Finland became an autonomous part of Russia. The castle lost its strategic function

The first opera festival at Olavinlinna castle was organized in 1912 and it is now the scene of the Savonlinna Opera Festival every year in July. Guided tours and events are organized in the castle all year round.

contact
Olavinlinna Castle
Olavinlinna FI-57130 Savonlinna Finland Tel. +358 15 531 164 olavinlinna@nba.fi www.nba.fi

Olavinlinna Castle was a Swedish border fortress 14751743 Olavinlinna Castle was a Russian border fortress 17431809 The Autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, part of Russia 18091917 Olavinlinna Castle became a popular tourist attraction in the late 19th century The Republic of Finland since 1917

*2 The castles medieval chapel is located on the second floor of the Church Tower. It has a vaulted ceiling and fragments of medieval al secco wall paintings.

Photos: Museovirasto

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raseBorG castle

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Photos: Raseborg Museum

Guided tours are available in Raseborg Castle during summer season.

Raseborg Castle was constructed in a sheltered location to defend Swedish interests.

Raseborg Castle was founded in the 1370s by the Swedish magnate Bo Jonsson Grip. It was built on a rocky island in a bay by a river mouth in the south-western part of the Finnish coast. The region was administered from Raseborg Castle and from there it was possible to control trade with Reval (Tallinn) on the other side of the Gulf of Finland. The construction of the large round tower was carried out in the late 15th century. However, with the increasing use of firearms in the 16th century Raseborg became outdated. In 1553 the Swedish King Gustav I Vasa ordered that the castle should be abandoned and the administration relocated to the Helsinki Crown Estate. Hereafter, Raseborg slowly went into a state of ruin.

The restoration work began in the late 19th century and was continued until the late 1980s. Guided tours are available and events and festivals are organized in the surroundings of the castle during summer season.

contact
Raseborg Castle
Raaseporin linnanrauniot Raaseporin linnantie FI-10710 Snappertuna Finland

Raseborg Castle was o cially mentioned for the rst time in a letter dated 1378 The Kalmar Union 13971523 Expelled Swedish King Karl Knutsson Bonde kept court in Raseborg Castle 14651467 The Autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, part of Russia, 18091917 The Republic of Finland since 1917

Tel. + 358 19 234015 www.raseborg.org

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suomenlinna sea fortress

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Suomenlinna Sea Fortress.

Suomenlinna (Sveaborg) is one of the largest sea fortresses in the world, located on a group of islands about one kilometre o the Helsinki shore. The construction of the bastioned naval base began in 1748 at a time when Sweden had lost its position as a major European power and Russia was now the main enemy. In order to protect the eastern parts of the realm new defence plans were made in the late 1740s and Sveaborg not only became the main fortress in Finland, but the largest stronghold of Sweden. In 1808 Sveaborg surrendered to the Russians and during the following 110 years it served as a Russian fortress. In spite of severe damage caused by a heavy bombardment from an Anglo- French squadron in 1855, further development of the fortress continued up until the Russian Revolution in 1917. After Finlands independence the fortress was renamed Suomenlinna

(Fortress of Finland) in 1918 and it served as a Finnish garrison for more than fifty years. Suomenlinna is now on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

contact

Construction of the fortress begins under Field Marshal Augustin Ehrensvrd 1748 The war between Sweden and Russia 18081809 The Autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland,part of Russia, 18091917 The Crimean War 18531856 The Republic of Finland since 1917 UNESCO World Heritage List 1991

Suomenlinna Sea Fortress

The Governing Body of Suomenlinna Suomenlinna C 74 Helsinki, FI-00190 Finland Tel. +358 9 684 1880 info@suomenlinna.fi www.suomenlinnatours.com

With its handsome vaulted halls, the Tenaille von Fersen in the inner bastion ring of Suomenlinna is one of the most valuable buildings on the island. The renowated Banquet Hall is located in the Old Granary of the Fortifications Bakery, built in 1775.
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Photos: Suomenlinna photo archive/Esko Jms

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sVartholm sea fortress

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The main entrance to Svartholma Sea Fortress

Photos: Town of Loviisa, Ari Haimi

Bastion von Schantz in the Svartholm Sea Fortress.

The Svartholm Sea Fortress

The foundations of a sea fortress were laid on the island of Svartholm in 1748 and in 1764 the fortress was finished. It was part of the new Swedish defence line after the loss of Finnish territories in two wars with Russia earlier in the century. Near Svartholm Sea Fortress in the mainland a new town called Loviisa was founded in 1752. The town was named after Louisa Ulrika of Prussia who married the Swedish King Adolf Frederik. In 1808, Svartholm and Loviisa were taken over by the Russians. The Russians used Svartholm both as a prison and a sea fortress until 1844. Svartholm Sea Fortress was abandoned in 1853 and in 1855 the English Navy destroyed parts

of the fortress during the Crimean War. Restoration work on Svartholm Sea Fortress ruins was carried out between the 1960s and the 1990s. Today there is an exhibition about the history of the fortress and guided tours are available during summer season.

contact
Svartholm Sea Fortress
Svartholman linnoitus Loviisa Tourist Office Karlskronabulevardi 8 FI-07900 Loviisa Finland Tel. + 358 19 555 234 info@loviisa.fi www.loviisa.fi

Construction work of Suomenlinna Fortress and Svartholm Sea Fortress began in 1748 The Autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, part of Russia, 18091917 The Crimean War 18531856 The Republic of Finland since 1917

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turKu castle

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Turku Castle was built in the 1280s on an island at the mouth of the River Aura as a stronghold for the Swedish rulers. At first it was a fortified camp, but during the first decades of the 14th century it was rebuilt as a closed fortress. A curtain wall divided the area into two parts, the gate was moved from the western to the eastern tower and new buildings were erected. Turku Castle saw much fighting. A siege in 1365 lasted eight months and in the 16th century it was besieged six times. From the 1550s to 1563 Duke Johan of Finland resided there and later it was one of the prisons of the dethroned Swedish King Erik XIV, the Dukes brother. A fire in 1614 destroyed most of the castle and after it was rebuilt it was turned into a warehouse.

Renovation work had been going on for some years when the castle was badly damaged by a fire caused by a Soviet aircraft in 1941 during the Second World War. The restoration lasted from 1946 until 1961. Since 1881 the castle has housed the Historical Museum of Turku.

contact
Turku Castle
Turun linna Linnankatu 80 FI-20101 Turku Finland Tel. +388 2 262 03 22 (guided tours) Tel. +358 2 262 03 00 (ticket office) museokeskus@turku.fi www.turku.fi/turunlinna

Part of Sweden 12th century1809 The Kalmar Union (Denmark, Sweden and Norway) 13971523 The extravagant court of Duke Johan and Catherine Jagellonica in 1560s The Autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, part of Russia, 18091917 The Republic of Finland since 1917

Photos: Martti Puhakka

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eutin castle

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Inner courtyard with the main tower

Photos: Stiftung Schlo Eutin

View from the south garden to the main tower

Faade of Eutin Castle reflected in the castle moat

Eutin Castle was built in the 12th century by the Bishop of Lbeck, but unfortunately none of the medieval buildings have been preserved to the present day. In 1586 Prince-Bishop Johann Adolf, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, began developing the castle into an impressive residence, but in 1689 most of it was destroyed by fire. Between 1717 and 1727 Prince-Bishop Christian August, grandfather of the Russian Tsarina Catherine the Great, rebuilt the castle in Baroque style. Swedish-German Rudolf Matthias Dallin was the architect and Johann Christian Lewon laid out an imposing French-style garden. Between

1787 and 1803 the garden was transformed into an English landscape garden. In 1773 the Duke of Oldenburg was granted the Duchies Delmenhorst and Oldenburg, and Eutin became his summer residence. In 1992 the Eutin Castle Trust was founded and it has been a museum since.

contact
Eutin Castle
Stiftung Schlo Eutin Schlossplatz 5 D-23701 Eutin Germany Tel. + 49 4521 7095 0 dr.juliane.moser@schloss-eutin.de www.schloss-eutin.de

The Bishopric of Lbeck 12th century1530 The Lutheran Prince-Bishops 15311803 The Dukes of Oldenburg 18031992 The Eutin Castle Trust since 1992

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Gottorf castle

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Gottorf Castle was built by the Bishop of Schleswig on an island at the end of the Schlei Fiord just outside the city of Schleswig. In 1268 it was taken over by Duke Erik I of Schleswig and it remained in the possession of the Dukes until 1713. The oldest visible part is the Gothic Hall, built in three stages between about 1450 and 1530. The west wing was built around 1530 by Duke Frederik (later King of Denmark and Norway Frederik I). The lavishly decorated faade in Dutch Renaissance style was considered the richest and most fashionable in Northern Europe. Even as King of Denmark, Frederik preferred to reside at Gottorf Castle and rarely visited his Danish castles. Around 1700 the castle underwent a major renovation in Baroque Style, which was never completed. After the Great Northern

War, where the Duke of Holstein-Gottorf had taken side against Denmark, the Danish King Frederik IV took over the duchies and also Gottorf Castle. In the 19th century Gottorf Castle was used as a Danish barracks, and after 1864 it became a PrussianGerman barracks. Since 1947 Gottorf Castle has been the state museum of SchleswigHolstein.

contact
Gottorf Castle
Stiftung Schleswig-Holsteinische Landesmuseen Schloss Gottorf D-24837 Schleswig Germany Tel. +49 4621 813222 info@schloss-gottorf.de www.schloss-gottorf.de

Residence of the Bishop of Schleswig until 1268 Residence of the Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein 12681713 The Great Northern War 17001721 German since 1864

Photos: State Museum of Art and Cultural Histroy and Archeology Castle Gottorf

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schWerin castle

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The throne room

Photos: Lothar Steiner, Staatliches Museum Schwerin

The dining room

The multi towered castle is regarded as one of the most important architectural masterpieces of Romantic Historicism in Europe. The magnificent residence is the product of remodelling and reconstruction work done in the mid 19th century to an older castle complex, the origins of which can be traced back to the Slavic era. The building work was commissioned by Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin who engaged, in addition to the master builders Georg Adolph Demmler and Hermann Willebrand from Schwerin, the most influential architects of his era: Gottfried Semper from Dresden, the Cologne Cathedrals master builder

Ernst Friedrich Zwirner and Friedrich August Stler, the court architect to the Prussian king. Located picturesquely in the dreamy Burggarten garden and extensive parkland, the sumptuous stately building with its neoRenaissance style was inspired by local traditions and the French castles along the Loire. Today it houses the Federal State Parliament of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania and the Museum Schloss Schwerin. The path across the historic swing bridge leads into the Schlossgarten garden, a Baroque creation that is unique in northern Germany and based on plans by the Frenchman Jean Legeay.

contact
Schwerin Castle
Museum Schloss Schwerin Lennstrae 1 D-19053 Schwerin Germany Tel. + 49 385 525 29 20 info@schloss-schwerin.de www.schloss-schwerin.de

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GstroW castle

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The elaborate ceiling of the banquet room

Painting by Marten de Vos

At the edge of Gstrows old town, one of the most important Renaissance castles in northern Europe surprises with its unexpected southern European charm. Duke Ulrich of Mecklenburg began building a magnificent residence here in 1558 to replace a former medieval castle. In order to construct the new south and west wings he engaged Franz Parr, a Lombard who had previously worked in Silesia, as the master builder. Parr managed to achieve a synthesis of Italian, French and German architectural concepts that was unique for both the era and the region. Splendid stucco ceilings, regarded as among the most remarkable in Germany, have been preserved from when the castle was built. The quaint banquet hall ceiling is especially lavish, for the most part

featuring exotic hunting scenes adapted from Dutch copper engravings. As the magnificently decorated court of the court of Wallenstein, the princely residence was a focal point of European history for a brief period during the Thirty Years War. In 1657, the last Gstrow duke, Gustav Adolf entrusted the Huguenot Charles Philippe Dieussart with the modernisation of his residence. The vaulted rooms of the basement house one of the most important medieval collections of northern Germany. Renaissance and Baroque paintings give new life to the glamour of the one-time ducal seat. Among the outstanding pieces on display here are works by Cranach, Marten de Vos and Tintoretto.

contact
Gstrow Castle
Museum Schloss Gstrow Franz-Parr-Platz 1 D-18273 Gstrow Germany Tel. +49 3843 7520 info@schloss-guestrow.de www.schloss-guestrow.de

Photos: 1,2 - Staatliches Museum Schwerin, 3 - Gabriele Brcker, Staatliches Museum Schwerin

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ludWiGslust castle
Photos: 1,2 - Lothar SteinerStaatliches Museum Schwerin; 2 - Elke Walford, Staatliches Museum Schwerin

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The porcelain room

Duke Friedrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin had the new castle built between 1772 and 1776 in accordance with plans by the court architect Johann Joachim Busch as the centrepiece of the late Baroque town layout of Ludwigslust. The original facilities still remaining include fireplaces, mirrors, overdoors, parquet flooring and chandeliers. These, along with the surviving ornaments and decoration made of Ludwigsluster carton (papiermch), characterise the impression of authenticity. The castle remains open to the public during the extensive restoration work to be carried out over the next few years till 2015. In addition to the illustrious collection of paintings, the busts by the French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon,

the architecture models made of cork and the artistic clocks, future visitors will experience and enjoy top-class art on display across almost 3,000 square metres: The menagerie series by the French court painter Jean-Baptiste Oudry, porcelain from Meissen, ivory objects and a completely reconstructed picture gallery with works by the court painters. The castle is surrounded by gardens dating back to the 18th century. The original geometrically designed castle garden was extended in the mid-19th century by the landscape architect Peter Joseph Lenn to create a landscape with Baroque elements such as avenues, cascades, canals and water jumps. The Ludwigsluster Schlosspark castle park is regarded as one of the most beautiful in northern Germany.

contact
Ludwigslust Castle
Museum Schloss Ludwigslust Schlossfreiheit D-19288 Ludwigslust Germany Tel. + 49 3874 571 90 info@schloss-ludwigslust.de www.schloss-ludwigslust.de

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GranitZ huntinG castle

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Knights Hall

Staircase inside the castle

The Berlin architect Johann Gottfried Steinmeyer built Granitz Hunting Castle between 1837 and 1851 for Prince Wilhelm Malte I of Putbus. The castle is situated in the centre of one of the largest unbroken woodland areas on the Isle of Ruegen. Like a landmark, the plastered brick edifice crowns the so-called Tempelberg (Temple Mount). The tall central tower designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel projects out over the hills summit and can be seen from afar. Its winding staircase imposingly placed in the tower is one of the castles main attractions. The observation platform, 144 metres above sea level, oers a picturesque panorama over the delightful landscape of Ruegen. Guests of the Prince used to stay in the castle during the hunting season. An extensive collection of hunting trophies and the historical drawing rooms are reminiscent of these times.

Since the early 1960s the castle has been housing a museum. Today its exhibition rooms provide information about the buildings history, the guests and their hunting parties. Examples of 19th century arts and crafts like antler furniture are to be discovered and the Knights Hall with its stove formed like a suit of armour has become a new attraction. Since 2003 Granitz Hunting Castle has been in the care of the Stately Palaces and Gardens of Mecklenburg WesternPomerania.

contact
Granitz Hunting Castle
Granitz Hunting Castle P.O.B. 1101 D-18609 Ostseebad Binz Germany Tel. + 49 38393 663 816

Putbus family 1851-1945 Museum since 1960s

jagdschloss-granitz@mv-schloesser.de www.granitz-jagdschloss.de

Photos: 1 - Matthias Langer, 2,3 - Thomas Grundner

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BausKa castle

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The remains of the oldest part the Livonian Order Castle.

Photos: Bauska Castle museum

After establishment of the Duchy of Courland Bauska Castle was converted into a fortified residence.

Bauska Castle is a complex of buildings, located on a hill at the confluence of the two rivers Msa and Mmele.

Bauska Castle was first mentioned in 1443 and in 1451 it was included in a list of Livonian Order castles. After the Reformation and the dissolution of the Livonian Order the Duchy of Courland-Semigalia was established, of which Gotthard Kettler, the last master of the Order, became the first duke. Bauska became a ducal castle and it was most likely in the 1580s that the fortifications were modernized and a new residence was built. In 1625 Swedish troops besieged the castle but in 1628 a Polish Army forced them to leave. In 1658 the Swedes invaded Courland once more and they left the castle devastated in 1660. At the beginning of the Great Northern War Swedish troops occupied the castle again and plans were

made for a new rampart system. In 1705 they surrendered to the Russians and when they left in 1706 the castle was partly blown up. Restoration work began in the 1970s. The Dukes residence was completely restored in the 1990s and acquired its present-day appearance in 2008. Since 1990 Bauska Castle has been a museum.

contact
Bauska Castle
Bauskas pils muzejs Pilskalns Bauska LV-3901 Latvia Tel. + 371 639 237 93 bauska.pils@e-apollo.lv www.bauskaspils.lv

The Livonian Order 12371561 Gotthard Kettler, Master of the Livonian Order 15591561, Duke 15611587 The Polish-Swedish War 16211625, 16261629 The Northern Wars 16551661 The Great Northern War 17001721

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Csis Castle seen from the first outer bailey.

The Masters Chamber in the west tower.

Aerial photograph of Csis Castle

For a few years, after 1209, the Brothers of the Sword shared an old hill fort with a local ethnic group, the Wends and in 1214 they built a stone castle, Wenden, on a nearby plateau. In 1237 it was captured by the Teutonic Knights and became the seat of the first master of the Livonian Order, but at the end of the 15th century the Orders headquarters were moved to Rga. During the first half of the 13th century a stone chapel, a chapter house and probably some timber houses were built. In the late 14th century the castle was transformed into a convent type castle with four wings grouped around a quadrangle and in the late 15th century three circular gun towers were added to the defences.

Serious damage was done to the castle in the Livonian War and in the 18th century the former gatehouse was converted into a manor house, the so-called New Castle. The old castle is now a spectacular ruin. Between 2007 and 2010 extensive internal and external restoration and reconstruction work was carried out at the New Castle. Since 1949 the New Castle has been housing the Csis History and Art Museum.

contact
Csis Castle
Csu Vstures un mkslas muzejs Pils laukums 11 Csis LV-4100 Latvia Tel. +49 371 641 218 15 pils@cesis.lv www.turisms.cesis.lv

The military order of The Brothers of the Sword 12021236 Livonian Order 12371561 The Livonian War 15581583

Photos: 1 - G.Kalni, 2 - R.Jelevis, 3 - Csis Castle

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rundle Palace

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The state staircase of the east side

Photos: Rundle palace museum

The gate of Rundle Palace.

Arial view of Rundle Palace from the north

Rundle Palace (Ruhenthal) with its garden is the most distinguished Baroque and Rococo monument in Latvia. It was built between 1736 and 1740 as a summer residence for the Duke of Courland Ernst Johann Biron. It was designed by the Russian court architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli who also designed the garden. The stables from the 1760s were designed by the Courland court architect Severin Jensen. The interior decorations were created between 1764 and 1768. Johann Michael Gra handcrafted the stucco and Carlo Zucchi and Francesco Martini created the ceiling and wall paintings. After 1795 Rundle was owned successively by the Russian noble families Zubov and Shuvalov. In 1920 it was taken over by the Latvian government. The Palace suered damage during the Franco-Russian War of 1812, World War I and the civil war in 1919. In 1933 it was

taken over by the State History Museum and restoration began. In 1972 the Rundle Palace Museum was established. Rundle has been under restoration for several decades and has now fully regained its former atmosphere and splendour.

contact Rundle Palace

Rundles pils muzejs Pilsrundle Rundles pagasts Rundles novads LV-3921 Latvia Tel. + 371 639 622 74 rundale@rundale.net www.rundale.net

The Duchy of Courland 15611721 The Russian Empire, Courland Governorate 17211918 The Biron residence 17361795 The Zubov residence 17951822 The Shuvalov residence 18221917 The Republic of Latvia 19181940 The Soviet Union 19401990 The Republic of Latvia since 1990

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turaida castle

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The Main Tower of Turaida Castle

Turaida Castle

In 1214 in the name of Albert, the bishop of Riga, Bishop Philip of Ratzeburg began work on a stone castle on the site of a previous timber castle belonging to the Livs. It was called Friedland (Land of Peace) but the new name was rarely used. Instead, the castle and the surrounding lands continued to be known by the old Liv name of Turaida. All through the Middle Ages it was an important economic centre for the archbishops of Riga as well as the residence of a local administrator and a military stronghold. Extensions were added until the middle of the 16th century and it served as a fortress until a devastating fire in 1776.

The rebuilding combined with a systematic study of the remains of the castle was undertaken in the second half of the 20th century. Today it is part of the Turaida Museum Reserve and in the rebuilt castle there is an exhibition about the castle building, the Archbishopric of Riga and events in the Turaida castle district connected to Latvian and European history.

contact
Turaida Castle
Turaidas muzejrezervts Turaidas iela 10 Sigulda LV-2150 Latvia Tel. +371 679 723 76, Tel. + 371 679 714 02 turaida.muzejs@apollo.lv www.turaida-muzejs.lv

The Bishopric of Riga 11861255 The Archbishopric of Riga 12551561

Photos: Turaida Museum Reserve

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VentsPils castle

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The education center of the museum is situated in the former stables

Photos: J. Presnikovs, L. Balodis, A. Vijups

Part of the permanent exhibition in the castle: The town of Ventspils in the 13th 19th century

Ventspils Castle - the oldest building in Ventspils town, nowadays Ventspils museum

Ventspils Castle (Windau) was built in the second half of the 13th century. It was first mentioned in 1290 and was controlled by the Livonian Order until 1561. Then it became a local administrative centre in the Duchy of Courland and a small garrison was quartered there. In 1659 the castle was partly damaged by the Swedes. After the Great Northern War and the incorporation of the Duchy into the Russian Empire the military functions were abandoned and from 1832 until 1959 the castle served as a prison. From 1962 on it housed the Soviet Border Guards and when they left in 1983 the buildings were in poor condition. Restoration of Ventspils Castle began in the middle of the 1980s. The Castle diers from

other medieval castles in Latvia, having an interior where modern design harmonizes with the historic environment. Today the castle houses a museum.

contact
Ventspils Castle
Ventspils muzejs Ja iela 17 Ventspils LV-3601 Latvia Tel. + 371 636 220 31 muzejs@ventspils.gov.lv www.muzejs.ventspils.lv

The Livonian Order 12371561 The Duchy of Courland 15611795 The Northern Wars 16551661 The Great Northern War 17001721 The Russian Empire, Courland Governorate 17211918 The Republic of Latvia 19181940 The Soviet Union 19401990 The Republic of Latvia since 1990

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lithuania

Birai castle

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Birai Castle was built between 1586 and 1589 by Duke Kristupas Radvila (Radziwill) Perknas (God of Thunder) and today it is the best preserved bastioned castle in Lithuania. During the 17th and 18th century it was the main Lithuanian stronghold in the wars against Sweden but in 1625 1627 it was captured by the Swedes and largely destroyed. The reconstruction lasted nearly fifty years and from 1662 to 1669 it was rebuilt in Dutch style with bastions. In 1682 Birai was a huge defensive site with its fortifications, a palace and twenty other buildings. Nearly a hundred cannons were kept in its arsenal. On 14 September 1704 the Swedish army attacked and destroyed the castle and during the following two and a half centuries it fell

into decay. After World War II there were attempts to preserve what was left, but further decay could not be prevented. Finally, a decision to rebuild Birai Castle was made and reconstruction work was finished in 1988. Since 1989 the Birai regional museum Sla has been situated in the castle.

contact
Birai Castle
Bir krato muziejus Sla J. Radvilos 3 LT-41175 Lithuania Tel. +370 450 318 83 sela@birzumuziejus.lt www.birzumuziejus.lt

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania 11th12th century1569 The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 15691795 The Polish-Swedish wars 16211625, 16261629, 16551661 The Great Northern War 17001721

Photos: Birai Regional Museum Sla

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Gediminas castle toWer

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VILNIUS

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Gediminas Castle Tower in Vilnius

Photos: Kstutis Stokus

Vilnius Castle, also called Gediminas Castle or The Upper Castle, is part of a larger fortification including The Lower and The Crooked Castle. It was mentioned for the first time in 1323 in a treaty with the Teutonic Order. There had been a timber castle on the site since the 11th century, but since the 13th century the walls and towers have been built out of stone and the Teutonic Knights never managed to capture it. Fires and wars devastated the castle and it was last used as a fortress between 1655-1661. After that it decayed slowly and when a Russian fortress was built there after 1831 parts of it were demolished. During the interwar years in the 20th century conservation work was carried out. In World War II the tower was damaged, but rebuilt and since 1960 it has housed a museum. In 1995 it was totally renovated and along with the Lithuanian flag, the tower has become a symbol of the Republic of Lithuania.

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania 11th and 12th century1569 Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania 13161341 Grand Duke Vytautas of Lithuania 13921430 The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 15691795 The Polish-Swedish wars 16211625, 16261629, 16551661 The Russian Empire 17951914 World War I 19141918 Independent Lithuania 19181940 World War II 19401945 German occupation 19401941 Part of the Soviet Union 19411990 The Republic of Lithuania since 1990

contact
Gediminas Castle Tower
Gedimino pilies boktas Arsenalo g. 5 LT-01143 Vilnius Lithuania Tel. + 370 526 174 53, Tel. + 370 526 294 26 pilis@lnm.lt www.lnm.lt/en/exposition-locations/ gediminas-castle-tower.html

lithuania

Palace of the Grand duKes

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VILNIUS

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View of the arches from the inner courtyard Photos: Vytautas Abramauskas and Mindaugas Kaminskas

Renaissance style throne room

View of the palace from the Upper Castle (Gediminas Hill)

Grand Dukes Palace in Vilnius was built during the 13th and 14th century. At the end of the 15th and the beginning of the 16th century the Gothic style castle was transformed into a luxurious Renaissance style residence. During the 17th century it was reconstructed in early Baroque style. In 1655 the Russians plundered and devastated the palace and in the late 18th and early 19th century all wings of the palace except for the eastern wing were demolished. After the Lithuanian state was re-established in 1990 there was a discussion about the reconstruction of the palace and in 2001 it was finally decided that work should be done. It has been in progress since 2002 and the reconstructed historical residence of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania is expected to open by the end of 2013 as a branch of the National Museum. It will also be

an important venue for state ceremonial events and the spreading of tourist information about Lithuania and its historic sites.

contact
Palace of the Grand Dukes
Nacionalinis muziejus Lietuvos Didiosios Kunigaiktysts valdov rmai Katedros a. 4 LT-01143 Vilnius Lithuania Tel. +370 5 212 7476 info@valdovurumai.lt www.valdovurumai.lt

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania 11th12th century1569 The Gediminid and Jegillonian Dynasty around 13001572 The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 15691795 The Vasa Dynasty 15871668 The Polish-Swedish wars 16211625, 16261629, 16551661 The Russian Empire 1772, 1793, 17951914 Independent Lithuania 19181940 Part of the Soviet Union 19411990 The Republic of Lithuania from 1990

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lithuania

traKai island and Peninsular castles

VILNIUS

44

The Great Hall of the Island Castle

Photos: Viktoras Neliubinas

Exposition hall of the Trakai History Museum in the Island Castle

Aerial view of Trakai Island Castle

Trakai Peninsular Castle was built by the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Kstutis (13421383), and while the building works were still continuing the construction of the Trakai Island Castle on one of the largest isles of Lake Galv began. The complex was probably finished in the early 15th century by Kstutis son, Grand Duke Vytautas (13921430). After the Teutonic Order was defeated at the Battle of algiris (Grunewald) in 1410 the Island Castle became the residence of the Grand Duke of Lithuania, but in the 16th century the castle lost its military function. The Grand Duke moved to Vilnius and the Island Castle became a prison for the nobility. In 1655 a Russian army plundered and burned the town of Trakai and the castles were destroyed and never rebuilt.

The restoration of the Island Castle to its 15th century appearance started in 1953. The Central Palace was rebuilt in 1962 and in 1987 the restoration was completed. Since 1962 the Island Castle has been a museum.

contact

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania 11th12th century1569 The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 15691795 The Polish-Swedish war 16551661 The Russian Empire 17951914 Part of the Soviet Union 19411990 The Republic of Lithuania since 1990

The Trakai Island and Peninsular Castles

Trak istorijos muziejus Kstuio 4 Trakai LT-21104 Lithuania Tel. + 370 528 539 45 info@trakaimuziejus.lv www.trakaimuziejus.lt

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Poland

malBorK castle

WARSAW

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The Chapter Hall at the High Castle

Panoramic view of Malbork Castle from the south-west

Malbork Castle (Marienburg) was founded in 1274 by the Teutonic Knights. From 1309 it was the seat of the Grand Master and the capital of the monastic state in Prussia. During the 14th century it became the largest and most impressive of all castles of the Order. Malbork consisted of three main sections. The High Castle was a monastery with the Church of St. Mary and the knights and priests quarters. The Middle Castle housed the Grand Masters Palace, the Great Refectory and the infirmary. In the Outer Bailey were the workshops, stables, granaries, armoury, river port and a chapel for servants. In 1457 the Teutonic Knights lost Malbork Castle to the Polish King Casimir IV Jagiellonian. After the partition of Poland in 1772 it became Prussian barracks and military stores. During the 19th century extensive restorations re-Gothicized the castle. Malbork Castle suered terrible damage in 1945

and restoration work has been carried out ever since. In 1997 the castle was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

contact
Malbork Castle
Muzeum Zamkowe w Malborku Starociska 1 PL-82-200 Malbork Poland Tel. +48 55 64 70 800 ekretariat@zamek.malbork.pl kasa@zamek.malbork.pl (Bookings) www.zamek.malbork.pl

The castle as the Teutonic Knights monastery 12741457 (the Grand Masters seat since 1309) The castle as a temporary seat of the Kings of Poland, and the Royal Military base 14571772 The castle within the borders of German Prussia and Germany 17721945 World War II 19391945 Polish again since 1945

Photos: B.L. Okonscy

Poland

the Pomeranian duKes castle

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WARSAW

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The Gothic gallery Photos: 1,2 - Beata Bogusawska, 3 - Marek Kowalczyk

The castle seen from south-west.

View of the castle

Sometime during the first half of the 12th century Duke Wartislaw l built a timber castle on the site of a temple dedicated to the three-headed Slavic god Triglav. The castle was enlarged during the 13th century and in 1346 Barnim III added a socalled stone house. Today the oldest preserved part of the castle is the south wing built by Duke Boguslav X around 1490. After 1530 Duke Barnim XI extended the castle, and from 1573 until 1582 it was rebuilt by Duke Jan Frederic in Renaissance style. After the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 the Swedish Governor General of Pomerania resided here and from 1705 onwards the castle was the home of the Polish Queen Catherine Leszczynska and her daughters for some years.

In 1720 it became the residence of Duke Christian August of Anhalt-Zerbst, commander of the Prussian garrison. In 1944 carpet bombing by the allied forces destroyed nearly 70% of the castle. The rebuilding in Renaissance style began in 1958 and continued until the 1980s. Today, the rooms of the castle are used for exhibitions and other cultural activities.

contact
The Pomeranian Dukes Castle
Zamek Ksit Pomorskich ul. Korsarzy 34 PL-70-540 Szczecin Poland Tel. + 48 91 43 38 841 zamek@zamek.szczecin.pl www.zamek.szczecin.pl

The Duchy of Pomerania, The Gri n Dynasty 12th century1637 Swedish occupation 16301648 Swedish Pomerania 16481720 Prussia 17201945 Poland since 1945

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russia

KalininGrad
36

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Excavation of the south-eastern part of the castle.

In 1255 King Ottokar II of Bohemia founded a castle by the river Prege on Prussian territory conquered by the Teutonic Knights. It was named Knigsberg after him and at the beginning of the 14th century it was a rectangular castle with eight defensive towers but also a convent with all the necessary facilities. In 1525 the last Grand Master of the Order, Albrecht of Brandenburg, converted to Lutheranism and became the first Duke of Prussia. Knigsberg Castle became his residence and the city was the capital of Prussia until 1701 when the Duke became King Friedrich I of Prussia and moved to Berlin. After the Second World War the castle was a blackened ruin. Knigsberg became part of the Soviet Union and its name was changed to Kaliningrad. In the 1960s the

ruins were pulled down, but during the first decade of this century a joint RussianGerman excavation project uncovered the cellars. The ruin is now protected as an ancient monument in the care of the Kaliningrad Museum of History and Art.

contact
Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad Museum of History and Art Klinicheskaya ulitsa 21 Kaliningrad RU-236016 Russian Federation museum_2006@mail.ru http://westrussia.org

The Teutonic Knights 12551525 The Duchy of Prussia 15251701 The Kingdom of Prussia 17011871 The German Empire 18711918 The German Republic 19181945 The Second World War 19391945 The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 19451991 Russian Federation since 1991

Photos: Kaliningrads Museum of History and Art

russia

militarYhistorical museum

MOSCOW

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Photos: Military-Historical Museum

View of the museum area

In 1703 Peter the Great founded an arsenal inside the Peter and Paul fortress in St. Petersburg with the purpose to store and preserve old guns and cannons as well as both Russian and captured guns and cannons considered to be of historical value. By the late 18th century the collection was moved to a new arsenal on the Liteinyi Prospekt, but later it was returned to the Peter and Paul fortress. Today it is located on the territory of Kronwerk, once a part of the St. Petersburg fortress, built 1705 1708 and continually renewed throughout the century. After 1848 a new Kronwerk was built of stone and the new arsenal, built in Pseudo-Gothic Style, was finished in 1860.

The Military-Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps is the oldest of its kind in Russia. The Museums collection includes artillery armaments and ammunition, rifles, military-engineering equipment, signal means, banners, military uniforms and insignia from the 14th century onwards. There is also a selection of modern armaments including missile systems. The museum is open to the public all year round.

contact
Military- Historical Museum
Military-Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineer and Signal Corps 7 Aleksandrovskii Park St. Petersburg, RU-197022 Russian Federation Tel. + 7 812 610 330 artillery@yandex.ru www.artillery-museum.ru

Tsar Peter the Great reign 16821725 Peter and Paul Fortress 1703 Foundation of Military-Historical Museum 29.8.1703

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russia

old ladoGa

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A 16th century guntower.

The Church of St. John the Baptist, 17th century.

The Assumption Temple, *3

The legendary Varagian Prince Rurik built a wooden fortress at the shore of Lake Ladoga in 862. The first stone fortress was built in the late 9th and early 10th century by Saint Oleg. In 997 it was destroyed by the Norwegian Earl Eirik. Prince Mstislav the Great of Novgorod erected the second stone fortress in 1114. Through centuries the stone fortress protected the northern frontier of Russia. In the early 17th century Ladoga was the only fortress in the northern part of the Moscow State and it was the object of constant struggle between dierent political sides. In the beginning of the Great Northern War (1700-1721) Peter the Greats troops were concentrated in Ladoga. In 1702 14 regiments under the leadership of Field Marshal Sheremetev left Ladoga to conquer Nteburg fortress (Russian: Oreshek), which had been held by the Swedes since 1612. In the late 18th century

Old Ladoga lost its status as a town and the fortress was gradually destroyed. Today only picturesque ruins remind us of its former grandeur. Restoration works have been carried out since the mid-20th century. Old Ladoga (Staraya Ladoga in Russian) is a museum today.

contact
Old Ladoga Fortress
Museum Staraya Ladoga 19 Volkhovsky pr. Staraya Ladoga Volkhovsky district Leningrad region, RU-187412 Russian Federation Tel. +7 813 637 35 24

Old Ladoga was already well known in the 9th and 10th centuries Part of Kievan Rus 10191132 Part of Novgorod Rus 11321478 Russian since 1478 New Ladoga (Novaya Ladoga in Russian) was founded in 1704

*3

12th century the northernmost monument of pre-Mongoli and Old Russian architecture. It is one of the six (and of two preserved) stone churches built in Ladoga in the 12th century. The wall was brightly decorated with fresco painting, the most famous image St. Kirik.

slmz@list.ru www.oldladoga.spb.ru

Photos: Museum Old Ladoga

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russia

oresheK fortress

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50

*1 Photos: State Museum of the History of St Petersburg

Golovin Tower and stairs to the roofed passage on the parapet

Gosudareva (Tsars) Tower

The first Shlisselburg Fortress Oreshek was built of timber in 1323 by the Novgorodians on an island at the head of the River Neva on Lake Ladoga. During a battle between the Russians and the Swedes in 1349 it was destroyed by fire and in 1352 the Russians built a new stone fortress consisting of three low rectangular towers connected by walls. In the late 15th and early 16th century it was again replaced by a new powerful fortification with seven massive towers of which only five have survived to the present day. When the Swedes captured Oreshek in May 1612 they named it Nteborg and when the Russians recaptured it in 1702 it was named Shlisselburg, which is derived from the German word Schlsselburg meaning key-castle = the key to the Baltic Sea (Gulf of Finland). From the end of the 18th century until the October Revolution of 1917 the fortress was used as a political prison.

German attacks during the Second World War severely damaged the fortress. Restoration work has been carried out since 1965. Today Oreshek Fortress is under the authority of the St. Petersburg Museum of History.

contact
Oreshek Fortress
Oreshek Fortress Shlisselburg Leningrad Region RU-18869 Russian Federation Tel. + 7 921 951 91 32, Tel. + 7 812 230 64 31 mail@spbmuseum.ru www.spbmuseum.ru

Novgorodians built Oreshek Fortress 1323 Novgorodian lands were taken over by Moscow 14711478 Part of Sweden 16121702 Russian since 1702

*1

Memorial complex dedicated to the defenders of Oreshek Fortress during the Second World War and the ruins of St. Johns Cathedral

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Peter and Paul fortress

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Peter and Pauls Cathedral and the Boat House Photos: State Museum of the History of St Petersburg

The Mint

The Commandants House

The fortress was founded in the delta of the Neva River on 27 May 1703 to defend the land that Russia had captured from the Swedes during the Great Northern War. The same day is also considered to be the birthday of the City of St. Petersburg. It took four months to build the fortress out of earth and timber in the form of an irregular hexagon with six curtain walls linking six massive bastions protruding towards the attacker. During a period from 1706 to 1740 earth and timber were replaced by a solid construction of masonry and from 1779 to 1785 the southern walls of the fortress were faced with granite.

From 1718 onwards Peter and Paul Fortress was also used as a prison for state criminals. From 1870 to 1872 a new prison was built and the castle remained the main remand prison up until 1918. Most of the buildings inside Peter and Paul Fortress are under the authority of the St. Petersburg Museum of History.

contact
Peter and Paul Fortress
State Museum of the History of St Petersburg 3 Petropavlovskaya krepost RU-197046 St Petersburg Russian Federation Tel. + 7 812 230 64 31 Tel. + 7 812 498 05 11 gmi@spbmuseum.ru www.spbmuseum.ru

Tsar Peter the Great 16821725 The Great Northern War 17001721 St. Petersburg, Capital of the Russian Empire 17131728, 17321918

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suVoroV memorial museum

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View of the exhibition. Photos: The Suvorov Memorial Museum in St. Petersburga

Suvorov Museum in St.Petersburg

The Suvorov Memorial Museum in St. Petersburg was Russias first memorial museum built according to Emperor Nicholas IIs decree of 1899 and opened in the presence of His Majesty in 1904. It was designed by court architect Alexander von Gogen and constructed between 1901 and 1904. With its stylistic loans from old Russian fortress architecture (especially from the Kremlin in Moscow), its turrets and battlements and medieval armors carved in stone, it stresses the fact that the museum is dedicated to the greatest Russian commander of all time and one of the great generals of the world, Alexander Suvorov who, besides never losing a battle, also built fortresses in the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland and towns in the

south of Russia in the late 18th century. After the revolution in 1917 the museum was closed. It was reopened in 1951 as the Suvorov Museum of Military History. However, since 1991 it has been the Suvorov Memorial Museum again. It displays personal belongings, war decorations, uniforms, guns, banners, documents, rare books, paintings, drawings and tin miniatures.

contact
Suvorov Memorial Museum
The Suvorov Memorial Museum 43 Kirochnaya Ulitsa St. Petersburg RU-191015 Russian Federation Tel. + 7 812 579 3914 suvorovmuseum@mail.ru www.suvorovmuseum.ru

Generalissimo Alexander Suvorov 17291800

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VYBorG castle

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Vyborg Castle

Vyborg Castle was built by the Swedes at the end of the 13th century on the Karelian Isthmus by the Baltic Sea (Gulf of Finland) as part of the defense of the border between Finland and Novgorod. The first castle consisted of a square tower surrounded by a curtain wall. The town of Vyborg was a vivid centre of trade and administration. The castle was modernized, strengthened and expanded between 1442 and 1448 by Governor-General Karl Knutsson, future King of Sweden. Karl Knutsson also lived in Vyborg Castle. During the reign of King Gustav I Vasa the tower was furnished with an octagonal upper part and became the main artillery fortification of the castle. In the 19th century Vyborg Castle was damaged by fires twice and restoration work took place in the 1890s. The buildings have been used as prison, barracks, store

houses, chancellery and living quarters. Today the castle is a museum of the history and natural history of Karelia.

contact
Vyborg Castle
Museum Viborgskii zamok ostrov Zamkovii 1 Viborg Leningradskaja oblast RU-188800 Russian Federation Tel. + 7 881 32 15 15 vyborgcastle@yandex.ru www.oblmuseums.spb.ru

Vyborg Castle was built by the Swedes 1293 The Great Northern War 17001721 Russians take over Vyborg Castle 1710 Autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, part of Russia, 18091917 The Republic of Finland 19171944 The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 19441991 Russian Federation since 1991

Photos: Vyborg Castle

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STOCKHOLM

sWeden

GriPsholm castle
Photos: 1 - Kungliga Husgerdskammaren ,2 - The Royal Court of Sweden, photo Alexis Daflos; 3 - Dick Norberg, Norberg Design

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Gripsholm Castle seen from Mariefred

The outer courtyard of Gripsholm Castle with the Grip Tower and the Governors Wing

With its Renaissance towers and prison cells, baroque splendour, Gustavian elegance and rich historical heritage Gripsholm Castle presents more than 400 years of Swedish history. The first castle was built in the years around 1380 by the Lord High Chancellor Bo Jonsson Grip. After his death it had several owners, among them the Carthusian monastery of Pacis Mariae. In 1526 it was claimed by King Gustav I Vasa who built the present castle as a stronghold where he and his family could retire in times of unrest. The most complete of the remaining interiors of the Vasa period is the Chamber of Duke Charles from the 1570s. Later, kings and queens have commissioned extensions and new interiors at Gripsholm, among them is

Gustav III (1771-1792). During his time, many of the rooms were redecorated in Swedish neoclassicism and he also added the enchanting theatre. Gripsholm has a large collection of portraits known today as the Swedish State Collection of Portraits. It can be traced back to the 17th century and portraits of prominent Swedes are added every year.

contact
Gripsholm Castle
Gripsholms slottsfrvaltning Gripsholms slot S-647 31 Mariefred Sweden Tel. + 46 159 101 94 www.kungahuset.se

The Grip family about 13801404 Queen Margrete and the Kings of the Nordic Union 14041472 Sten Sture the Elder 14721498 Monasterium Pacis Mariae 14981526 Crown Property 1526, at H. M. the King of Swedens disposition

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sWeden

Kalmar castle

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The Castle Church was built during the reign of Johan III and was used for the first time in 1592

Around 1180 a tower was constructed near Kalmar harbour in order to protect trade and at the end of the 13th century a royal fortress with round towers at each corner and a square tower facing the town were built around it. The most important political event to take place at Kalmar Castle was the forming of the Kalmar Union between Denmark, Norway and Sweden in 1397, which lasted until Gustav I Vasa became King of Sweden in 1523. During the 16th century the kings of the Vasa dynasty transformed Kalmar Castle into a splendid Renaissance palace. After the war in 1658 Denmark lost all of its land in Sweden south of Kalmar and the castle lost its strategic importance.

Restoration began in the 1880s and was finished in 1939. Today Kalmar Castle is a museum as well as a famous tourist attraction during the summer season oering many activities for both children and adults. Magnificent banquets are arranged in the wintertime.

contact
Kalmar Castle
Kalmar Slott Kungsgatan 1 S-392 33 Kalmar Sweden Tel. + 48 04 51 490 kalmarslott@kalmar.com www.kalmarslott.se

The Swedish Kingdom 13th century1397 The Kalmar Union (Denmark, Sweden and Norway) 1397-1523 The Swedish Kingdom since 1523

Photos: Oktod.

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malm castle

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Photos: 1 - Merja Diaz, 2 - Johanna Rylander, 3 - Mikael Sandholm

Malmhus Castle

Cannon tower from the 16th century

Malmhus Castle

In 1434 Erik of Pomerania, King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, built a citadel in the town of Malm of which traces can still be seen in the walls. During the Counts Feud the citizens of Malm occupied it and tore down the walls separating it from the city. After the rebellion was crushed Christian III (1536-1559) built a new citadel. In 1607 Denmarks builder king Christian IV, among other things, added an elegant storehouse with Dutch Renaissance gables to the castle. After 1658 the Swedes modernized the castle with a Dutch-inspired defense system and in 1675 it withstood a Danish siege. However, the fortress fell into disrepair and Malmhus was used mainly as a granary and an arsenal for the Swedish army. From 1828 until 1909 it served as a prison.

From the 1930s on the castle was restored in Renaissance style and today it is a museum.

contact
Malmhus Castle
Malm Museer Malmhusvgen 6 S-201 24 Malm Sweden Tel. + 46 40 34 10 00 malmomuseer@malmo.se www.malmo.se/museer

The Kalmar Union (Denmark, Sweden and Norway) 13971523 Malmhus as a Danish Royal Castle 14341658 The Royal Mint at Malmhus 14441526 Malmhus and the whole province of Skne has been Swedish since 1658

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nYKPinG castle

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The Kings tower and the wall

The 16th century gatehouse. Duke Karls coat-of-arms can be seen above the gate.

The gatehouse and part of the ramparts

Nykpingshus was one of the most important medieval strongholds in Sweden and kings and nobles often fought to gain control over the castle. At a Christmas banquet arranged by King Birger in 1317 he imprisoned his brothers Duke Erik and Duke Valdemar in the still existing dungeon and left them to freeze and starve to death. Gustav I Vasa improved the defences and two new gun towers were added. After his death, his son Karl, Duke of Sdermanland, transformed the castle into a splendid palace surrounded by ramparts. Duke Karls reign is the most glorious period in the history of the castle. King Karl X Gustav who led his armies to war in Poland, Germany and

Denmark was born here in 1622. In 1665 a fire left most of the castle in ruins. In the centuries to come the remains served as county jail, granary and home for the destitute. Since the early 20th century Nykpingshus has been a museum.

contact
Nykpingshus Castle
Srmlands museum box 314 S-611 26 Nykping Sweden Tel. + 46 155 245 700 info.museet@dll.se www.sormlandsmuseum.se

King Birger 12901318 King Gustav I Vasa 15231560 Karl, Duke of Sdermanland, born 1550 King Karl IX of Sweden 16041611 King Karl X Gustav 16541660

Photos: Srmlands Museum

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roYal Palace of stocKholm

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Photos: The Royal Court of Sweden, photos Alexis Dafos

*1

The Royal Palace from the south-east

The earliest history of the Royal residence in Stockholm is a subject of debate, but by the end of the 13th century there was a stronghold that grew into a large castle. It was destroyed by fire in 1697 and Nicodemus Tessin the Younger designed the new residence in order to create a baroque synthesis of Roman and French palaces that would surpass its models. Building the palace was a long process that did not end until the late 19th century. Many architects, artists and craftsmen have contributed to the interiors, which bear witness to the patronage and collecting of Swedish monarchs and their consorts from the Renaissance to the present day. The Royal Palace of Stockholm is HM

the King of Swedens official residence and the state apartments are used for audiences, receptions and other royal functions. At other times they may be visited by the public as may the four museums housed in the Royal Palace: Gustav IIIs Museum of Antiquities opened as the Royal Museum in 1794 the Museum Tre Kronor, the Treasury and the Royal Armoury.

contact
Royal Palace of Stockholm
Kungliga Slottet S -111 30 Stockholm Sweden Tel. + 46 8 402 61 30 www.kungahuset.se/ royalcourt/royalpalaces

Crown Property, at HM the King of Swedens disposition

*1

The Grand Stone Gallery of Gustav IIIs Museum of Antiquities, designed by C. F. Sundvall.

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sKoKloster castle

59

*1

The middle room in the Wrangel Armour

The square castle with its four towers is situated in a park close to Lake Mlaren.

From the 13th century on the land belonged to a Cistercian convent. During the reformation the property was confiscated by the Crown and the only remaining part of the convent today is a Gothic brick church. At the beginning of the 17th century the Estonian-born German- Baltic nobleman Captain Herman Wrangel had entered Swedish service and in 1611 he received Skokloster as a gift from King Karl IX. His son, the famous Field Marshal Carl Gustaf Wrangel, started to build the present castle in 1654. It became one of the largest 17th century buildings in Sweden and during the 17th, 18th and 19th century the owners gathered a unique collection of books, weapons, textiles, tools, natural history specimens, exotic objects, furniture and paintings. Since 1967 Skokloster has been a state-run museum.

Skokloster Castle with its more than 50,000 objects is regarded as one of the best Baroque museums in the world.

contact
Skokloster Castle
Skoklosters Slott S-746 96 Skokloster Sweden Tel. + 46 8 402 30 60 skokloster@lsh.se www.skoklostersslott.se

Cistercian nunnery mid 13th century1527 Margareta Grip married to Captain Herman Wrangel 16111624 Their son Count Carl Gustaf Wrangel 16241676 By inheritance and marriage the Counts Brahe 16761930 By inheritance the Barons von Essen 19301967 Bought by the Swedish State and opened as a state museum 1967

*1

The corridors on the first floor are decorated with proverbs and portraits of officers in the Swedish army.

Photos: Jens Mohr

touristic information
More travel information about the countries participating in AGORA 2.0:

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Belarus
Visit Belarus www.belarus.by/en/travel

Finland
The Official Travel Site of Finland www.visitfinland.com Visit Helsinki www.visithelsinki.fi

Denmark
Visit Denmark www.visitdenmark.com Visit Copenhagen www.visitcopenhagen.com

Germany
German National Tourist Board www.germany.travel Official Tourism Portal for Visitors to the German Capital www.visitberlin.com Tourist Board MecklenburgWest Pomerania Tourismusverband Mecklenburg-Vorpommern www.auf-nach-mv.de Tourism Marketing Brandenburg Tourismus Marketing Brandenburg (in German) www.reiseland-brandenburg.de Tourism Agency Schleswig-Holstein Tourismus-Agentur Schleswig-Holstein www.sh-tourismus.de

Estonia
Visit Estonia www.visitestonia.com The Official Website of the Tallinn City Tourist Office www.tourism.tallinn.ee Visit Tartu www.visittartu.com

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Latvia
Official Latvian Tourism Portal www.latvia.travel Visit Riga www.liveriga.com Latvian Rural Tourism Association www.countryholidays.lv

Russia / Kaliningrad Region

Regional Tourism Information Center Kaliningrad www.visit-kaliningrad.ru

Sweden
Sweden's Official Website for Tourism and Travel Information www.visitsweden.com

Lithuania
Visit Lithuania www.visitlithuania.net Visit Vilnius www.vilnius-tourism.lt Stockholms Official Visitors Guide www.visitstockholm.com

Poland
Polands Official Travel Website www.poland.travel Official Tourist Website of Warsaw www.warsawtour.pl

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ISSN 2194 - 8232 All rights reserved 2012 University of Greifswald

SERIES EDITOR Dipl. oec. Betina Meliss Tel. +49 3834 / 864541 agora@uni-greifswald.de ISSUE EDITOR Anne Parikka and Bengt Kylsberg, The Association of Castles and Museums around the Baltic Sea PRODUCED IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE PROJECT AGORA 2.0 Project leader: Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Steingrube Tel. +49 3834 / 864540 baltic21@uni-greifswald.de Project coordinator: Betina Meliss University of Greifswald Institute of Geography and Geology Makarenkostrase 22 17487 Greifswald COVER PICTURE Shutterstock ENVELOPE PICTURES 1,2,6 - The Association , 3 - Museovirasto , 4 - G.Kalni, 5 - Bauska Castle Museum ARTWORK GRAF FISCH DESIGN, Greifswald PRINTING Homann-Druck GmbH, Wolgast

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